When Push Comes to Shove
by Mopshadow
Summary: After eight years, Phoenix and Miles once again find themselves facing each other in court. Only this time, it may take a little coaxing from their friends to mend their broken relationship. No spoilers for AA5.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, I'm tired of waiting for AA5 to release in English so I kind of wrote my own story for Phoenix and Edgeworth's reunion. No spoilers for AA5, since I have no idea what happens in that game so this fic is completely canon divergence. All my knowledge of the District Court layout comes from Ace Investigations so it should be relatively accurate.**

-District Court Defense Lobby No. 2-

Phoenix Wright stood in the Courtroom Lobby with his palms sweating and his heartbeat hammering in his chest. He hadn't been this nervous since the first trial after his debarring. Though this time it wasn't the eight years of rust he had gathered that had his head spinning, oh no. Phoenix had regained his confidence as a lawyer. The only thing that left him sweating now was the name printed on the prosecution roster: Miles Edgeworth.

Just down the hall was a man he hadn't spoken to in eight years. And just like eight years ago, they were about to face each other in court.

Phoenix couldn't do this.

"Daddy what's wrong? You look like you're going to drop dead."

Two girls came over from where they had been chatting privately to peer closely at the nervous attorney. Phoenix, not for the first time, questioned his choice of assistance for the trial.

"I just might, Trucy," Phoenix said.

_Whack!_

"Don't say things like that Mr. Nick! You'll scare your client!" The second girl scolded and Phoenix rubbed his cheek where she had hit. Eight years hadn't done much to soften the wrathful arm of Pearl Fey.

Wait, who was his client again? He really needed go focus. Phoenix couldn't even remember what the charge was. It was probably murder. It was always murder.

Speaking of his client, he was nowhere to be found. The whole gang had arrived at the District Court early so they could question him- her?-some more, only to have a no show. Though, that would be just Phoenix's luck.

"Yeah, I'll give them a good scare if they ever show up," Phoenix said, though the girls were no longer paying attention to him, having gone back to chatting amongst themselves. Phoenix had to admit that having a girl Trucy's age around wasn't such a bad call on his part. She could use a friend her age for a change. Besides, Pearl had to pretty lonely up on that mountain all the time. Getting them together was mutually beneficial, honestly.

Speaking of Pearl, it had been a while since Phoenix had seen her. With all that had happened to him in the past few years, time had gotten away from him. Pearls was no longer a little girl, instead she was quickly approaching the end of her adolescence. She still wore her acolyte robes and her hairstyle hadn't changed much, but there was no denying it: Pearls was growing up. And if she was a young lady now that meant Trucy was too. Jeez. How old was he again? And that meant _Miles_ was...

Phoenix decided to wreck that train of thought before it began and tried to listen in on Trucy and Pearl instead of going back to panicking.

"So who is this Eggsworth guy anyways?"

"I told you, it's Mr. Edgeworth! He's Mr. Nick's special some-"

Or maybe Pearl wasn't so great an idea after all.

"Pearls!" Phoenix interrupted desperately. "Where did you hear that?"

"Mystic Maya, of course!" the teen explained brightly, clapping her hands together. "She said that she couldn't be your special someone because you're in love with Mr. Edgeworth!"

Phoenix was going to kill Maya next time he visited Kurain. He risked peaking at his daughter to assess damage control.

Trucy had her hand drawn up to her mouth in shock.

_Dammit, this is going to be bad..._

"Daddy... do you really love this Edgeworth guy?"

Phoenix sighed. This was not what he needed right now.

"...Cause that means I can have a new Mommy!" Trucy said.

Oh, Maya was _so_ dead.

"Listen girls, Mr. Edgeworth and I used to be together, but that's it. We haven't seen each other in years. Really, it's all over now."

"Mr. Nick, how dare you ignore your special someone like that!" Pearl was rolling up her sleeve threateningly again.

Trucy shifted into a more contemplative position. "You know, Daddy, I really wouldn't mind having another Daddy as a Mommy..." Pearl took a step forward, arm still raised.

Phoenix shook his head. For all the good adolescent girls were at solving murders, they still didn't understand that sometimes love just wasn't enough to keep a relationship together. Miles had left and he hadn't come back. It was that simple. Phoenix was sure the prosecutor had his excuses, but he sure as Hell didn't want to hear them. It wasn't the first time that Miles had dropped off the face of the Earth, and even if Phoenix had found him there was no guarantee that it would have been the last. Besides, then that one trial had happened and... well, _Trucy_ had happened. Suddenly Miles wasn't the only thing in his life anymore. So maybe, just maybe-if he hadn't been so busy raising a child and generally trying to stay off the streets- he might have chased after Miles. But Trucy and Pearls didn't need to know any of that. He wasn't going to crush their dreams with his own soppy story of what could have been.

"Girls, please. We are not talking about this right now. Or ever. Okay? Just leave it alone." Phoenix tried to back away from the girls who had stepped far too close into his personal space, but was captured by both arms.

"Mr. Nick I think you need to go talk to Mr. Edgeworth."

"Yeah Daddy. You're supposed to be finding me a Mommy, even if your best shot is a Daddy!"

Phoenix felt himself being shoved toward the door, first by Pearl with Trucy following suite. Did they really expect to push him all the way down the hall?

"Girls, you're not going to be able to-"

This time both girls gave a hardy shove and Phoenix had to stumble a few feet to regain his balance.

Oh no. Phoenix was not about to lose to a couple of teenage girls.

Who decided that hormones and law made a good combination again? Oh, right. That would be him.

-District Court 3rd Floor Lobby-

Returning to California had only been a matter of time if Miles was being honest with himself. He had stayed away for weeks, months, and-by some impressive feat-years, but there had always been a reason to return. And that reason was just a short trip down the hall.

Before, Edgeworth hadn't had the confidence to return, especially after Wright was debarred. What could he possibly say to him? Try to comfort him after he was framed for doing something that Miles had practically built his own reputation off of and gotten away scot-free? It would have been awful.

And so, Miles had stayed away for weeks and months and years until it had gotten to the point where he had even less of an idea of who was waiting for him than what words he would say.

But one day the name Phoenix Wright made its way back into his life outside of his personal reflections. The great Ace Attorney had retaken the bar. It was then that the job offer for Head Prosecutor had come, and Miles had taken it without hesitation.

Now, there was plenty of hesitation. Edgeworth stood glaring at the door to the hallway. Maybe if he stared hard enough it would burst into flame and the case would be postponed. Indefinitely.

Instead, the door opened and in stumbled a familiar face.

"Wow Mr. Edgeworth, sir, you really got here early."

Detective Gumshoe was assigned to today's case and Edgeworth couldn't say that he wasn't more than a little relieved. It was nice to be working with someone he knew, even someone as incompetent as Dick Gumshoe. He appeared to be roughly the same as ever since they had started this case and still had a dirty, patchy coat hanging from his broad frame. Edgeworth could only hope that he had replaced his old one sometime in the last few years and that this one just happened to be of identical make. A pencil was still stuck firmly behind his ear. The Detective had kept his scruffy beard and always had some bandage or another stuck to his face, though whether he earned it from his job or clumsy shaving Edgeworth could never tell. A lot had changed in his eight years of absence, but Gumshoe seemed to be the exception. Speaking of which...

Turning his glare on the Detecive, Edgeworth crossed his arms as he regarded his old partner. "Tardiness has no place in the Court, Detective."

Under Edgeworth's gaze, Gumshoe struggled to straighten his deplorable posture. "Right you are, sir! Which is why I'm also here early, just like you asked."

If Edgeworth didn't feel like melting into a nervous wreck every time he thought about having to step into that courtroom sooner or later he might have even smirked at the Detective's dopey grin.

Might.

The pair lapsed into silence and Edgeworth went back to trying to burn holes in the door.

It wasn't long before the Detective was shuffling awkwardly next to him.

"Detective Gumshoe?" Edgeworth questioned, again turning his sour expression on the poor man. Anything to stop the fidgeting. Edgeworth was already about to crawl out of his skin and the Detective was not helping.

"Um, well, it's just that, sir... Your glasses look nice."

Edgeworth could tell that Gumshoe had chickened out of some question at the last second, but he decided to take the bait anyways. Maybe some mindless chatting would take his mind off the inevitable fiasco waiting for him in the courtroom.

"Thank you, Detective. Might I ask, do you have any thoughts on the case?"

Gumshoe only seemed to grow more uncomfortable with this topic of discussion. He scratched the back of his neck nervously before answering. "Ah, well, the defendant is clearly guilty, sir! We've got decisive evidence and everything!"

"Yes, yes, I am well aware of your police work, Detective Gumshoe."

Actually, Edgeworth couldn't remember a thing about the case at the moment. He'd have to check the Court Record, though not in front of the Detective. The second he had seen who would be opposing him all thoughts of truth and justice had vanished from his mind. He had been meaning to see Wright again, just not like this. He had wanted to arrange a time and place where they could talk like the civilized adults they were. Then they had gotten this case together and Wright hadn't so much as tried to contact him. He probably hated him. So instead, Miles was going to hide in his lobby for as long as time would allow.

Another uncomfortable silence came over the pair.

"Um... Mr. Edgeworth..." Gumshoe began after the quiet dragged on noticeably.

"What is it, Detective?" Edgeworth griped. Gumshoe was really starting to get on the few nerves he still had intact.

"Well… now, sir, I really don't mean to pry or nothing but-"

"What _is_ it, Detective?" Edgeworth started tapping his finger menacingly against his arm.

Gumshoe took the hint. "Mr. Edgeworth, isn't... isn't _he_ defending this case?"

There was absolutely no need to clarify who 'he' was.

"I believe so, Detective."

"Well... and weren't you two... That is to say..."

Edgeworth found that it was possible to glare harder than he already was. "Yes." Edgeworth said, cutting Gumshoe off before he could go any further. Edgeworth was not prepared to have this conversation with himself, let alone the Detective. "What of if?"

Gumshoe gasped. "What of it, sir? You haven't talked to him since you've been back! Don't you see? Now's your chance!"

Edgeworth turned away from the Detective, back to the door. "There will be no chances, Detective."

"Aw, how can you say that, sir? You haven't even talked to the guy! Come on, I bet he misses you just as much as you miss him." Two large hands descended on Edgeworth's shoulders and began an attempt to steer him towards the door.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Edgeworth exclaimed, trying to shake the offending hands off. "Unhand me this instant! And what on Earth makes you believe that I miss him?" Edgeworth gave his best effort to root himself to the floor, but it was no use against the Detective's superior bulk.

"Of course you miss him, sir! You've been all moody lately, and whenever you're depressed it always has to do with Mr. Wright! I can't stand to see you so upset, sir. This is for your own good, you know," Gumshoe continued to ramble as he forced Edgeworth out the accursed door and down the hall. The prosecutor wasn't even going to try to argue with the Detective's failing logic and instead focused on trying to escape his iron grip, to no avail. Maybe there was a reason Gumshoe was still on the police force after all.

-Courtroom Defense Lobby No. 2-

Phoenix had both hands planted firmly against the doorframe while two teenaged girls continued to shove him from behind.

"Trucy, get the door handle!"

"Aye-aye!"

"Oh, no you don't." Phoenix swatted at the offending hand that came darting out in another attempt to grab the handle.

"Daddy!"

"Mr. Nick, you shouldn't hit girls!"

"Yeah well girls should learn not to meddle in other's love lives."

There was a collective cheer from behind him.

"So you do love him!"

"I'm gonna have a Mommy-Daddy!"

"_Girls_!"

A loud scuffling noise from the hallway made the trio pause in their antics. The three quieted and listened to the sounds of struggle.

"Daddy?" Trucy piped up first. "I think someone's getting mugged."

Pearl chimed in from behind as well. "I don't think muggings are common in courthouses..."

It was obvious that the muffled voices were getting closer. The hands on his back that had been jostling him earlier were now pushing him toward the door again, though this time more timidly.

"Daddy, you should go check it out..."

"Yeah, Mr. Nick..."

"Just hang on a second." Phoenix waved the girls off easily and they stepped back tentatively as he pressed his ear to the door. If someone really was in trouble, Phoenix wanted to make sure the two of them stayed out of it. Pearl was a Fey after all, and bad news had a habit of following that family around. He would know.

It was only a few moments before the voices could be heard clearly. It helped that the fight seemed to be escalating.

"Detective Gumshoe, if you don't release me your paycheck is going to be so severely evaluated you'll be lucky if you can afford dog food!"

"Please don't do that, sir..."

_That's-! Why is he-?_

A jumble of half-articulated thoughts raced through Phoenix's brain. He tried to back away from the door in shock, but he bumped into Trucy. Unfortunately, this allotted enough time for Pearl to snatch him.

"That's Mr. Edgeworth and that Scruffy Detective!"

"Oh no, Pearl..." Phoenix moaned, but at her announcement both girls had redoubled their efforts of forcing him through the door.

"See Mr. Nick? He's coming for you! You're his special someone!"

"Pearls..."

"You love him and he loves you!"

"Pearl!"

"Daddy, I expect to get a Mommy this time!"

"_Trucy_!"

"That's it, Detective! You're not going to see a paycheck for a month!"

"Please don't be mad, sir. You're going to thank me later."

The girls were really determined now, and Phoenix's hands slipped from the doorframe and he found himself braced against the door itself. Great.

"Daddy!"

"Go get him, Mr. Nick!"

"Girls!"

"Detective, this is your last warning!"

"For your own good, sir..."

The door opened and Phoenix found himself falling forward in the absence of his support.

Falling right into a very flustered man in a maroon trench coat and glasses.

_Miles_.

Wait, glasses?

**A/N: Please review if you want me to continue!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Sorry this took so long to update. I was sad and wifi-less this week. Phoenix may continue to seem like a little bitch this chapter when it comes to Edgeworth, but I think we all remember how he was in the second game when he thought Miles was dead.**

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

_No. This is not happening. I will not allow this to happen._

Try as he might, Edgeworth couldn't shake Gumshoe's hold. It certainly was not due to lack of effort on his part, though he had allowed Gumshoe to march him-more or less-down the hall as soon as the Detective had forced him out the door in attempt to avoid a scene. If he was going to be manhandled, he would be so elegantly. Detective Gumshoe was making that quite difficult. Even his verbal threats seemed to have no effect on the determined Detective. For once, Edgeworth understood why Franziska carried a whip.

He briefly considered latching onto one of the vending machines.

"Detective, this is your last warning!"

"For your own good, sir..."

And with that they had reached the door. The door to the Defendant Lobby. The Defendant Lobby where the defense team would be waiting. _His_ defense team.

It wasn't too late to make a break for it. Edgeworth had planned to go into the courtroom, get the trial over with, and never speak of anything that would transpire that day again. Ever. If he could just escape, he might have another shot at avoiding Wright completely. Was it too late to file for sick leave? His stomach was certainly turning. Unfortunately, Detective Gumshoe had other plans. The Detective reached a hand around Edgeworth's shoulder and turned the handle. Miles fought the urge to close his eyes.

Something blue and spiky came tumbling through the doorway.

Straight for Edgeworth.

The Detective backed out of the way.

"GAAAAH!"

"NNNNNNNGH!"

The man collided full-force with Edgeworth, knocking both the air from his lungs and his glasses askew. Before he could fully register the situation, his instincts kicked in and the prosecutor began maneuvering to avoid the both of them crashing to the floor. He hooked his arms around the stranger's shoulders and pulled the man toward himself to take the momentum of his fall. It was awkward, yes, but much less awkward than lying on top of one another in a heap on the floor would have been.

It was only after he was practically hugging the poor man that he could get a look at his face.

_Oh. Oh! OH!_

His face was more matured and he definetely looked... older, but there was no denying it: Miles Edgeworth was standing here embracing _him_.

"...Miles?"

Phoenix Wright was looking up at him from where Edgeworth had basically crushed him against his chest. He... he had called him 'Miles'! But what was that supposed to mean? Did Phoenix hate him or not? He didn't look like he hated him. His eyes were, well, bright. And beautiful. No, just bright. And his mouth was still parted from his question, an observation that in no way affected Edgeworth's heart rate. To think otherwise would be absolutely ludicrous. And what was with that curl on his forehead? Who did he think he was, Clark Kent or something? And older wasn't really a bad thing… In fact, Wright took to maturity in all the right places. And... and Miles was staring. Edgeworth dropped his hands immediately.

"W-Wright!" The tremor in his voice was logically from the force of the impact he had experienced. His face was heating up from the exertion.

Phoenix hesitated a moment before bringing his hands up to Edgeworth's shoulders so he could right himself. His movements were cautious, as if he expected Miles to snap at him. In any other situation Miles might have been offended; he really wasn't like his sister. Most of the time, anyways.

"Hey, pal! You'd better watch yourself. You could have killed somebody, coming out of there like that!" Gumshoe, who had been completely unhelpful thus far, reprimanded.

_You opened the door in the first place you great, bumbling dolt_, Edgeworth thought poisonously.

"Detective Gumshoe! Long time no see. Ah..."

As soon as Phoenix was supporting himself on his own two feet again he released Miles' shoulders and took a few steps back into the open doorway. Now able to view him properly, Edgeworth noticed that he had a new, clean, obnoxiously blue suit and waistcoat that had a gold chain dangling from one of the pockets and a sparkling new attorney's badge pinned to the lapel that gleamed so brightly it hinted at over-polishing. Some things never changed, Edgeworth supposed. Like the way Wright was smiling nervously at him now, the same way he used to from across the courtroom when he was waiting for the prosecutor to back him up on one of his wild conjectures. Miles realized Phoenix was waiting for him to say something.

_Dammit, Wright. What do you want from me?_

Wright knew he wasn't good with words when it came to this sort of... thing. What did one even begin to label something like this?

_...Closure?_

But it didn't feel like an ending. Edgeworth's chest felt like it might explode from the pressure that was building there. Pressure from responses he thought that he'd ago long suppressed. Perhaps in lying dormant they had only strengthened. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder or some illogical nonsense like that.

_Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright..._

Fortunately for him, it appeared that the silence had dragged on too long for the rest of the present company.

"Mr. Nick, that was your chance!"

"You were supposed to kiss him!"

_Who- wait, k-kiss?_

-District Court Lobby No.2 Doorway-

"Girls, please!"

Both Trucy and Pearls were now peeking out from behind him in the doorway. Pearl was giving him her best Fey glare - which was surprisingly intimidating coming from a 16 year old - sleeve already rolled back and ready to punish him for whatever true love mission he had failed this time, while Trucy had her attention directed curiously towards Miles. Speaking of Miles and glares...

Upon turning back, Phoenix found himself being pinned by one of Edgeworth's most scathing glares. His face was even turning red.

_Oh no, Trucy said something about kissing... He's probably furious._

Though Phoenix had to admit, Miles did look pretty ridiculous. His glasses were still crooked and his clothes were more than a little rumpled. Miles still had his arms up, a Phoenix-sized gap between them. He looked like the judge had just overruled his von-Karma-perfect objection. In all, he looked stuck.

Feelings did that to Miles.

Feelings. Phoenix didn't really want to acknowledge it, but literally crashing into Miles Edgeworth was bringing a lot of them back; not all of them pleasant. Miles had disappeared. Phoenix had been angry and bitter and hurt. So. Many. Times. But it had been _so long_. Now, here Miles was. New Miles. Older Miles. A Miles Phoenix didn't know, but who felt exactly the same.

For the first time since he'd gotten this case, Phoenix's nervous smile cracked into a genuine smirk. Frozen, stuck, stiff Miles was just as lost with what to do next as he was. Maybe Phoenix should make the first move. After all, it wasn't like they were enemies or anything. They never even had that much of a closure. If he played this right he just might be able to fix whatever scraps were left of their friendship. And boy, he'd better hurry up before whatever urge that was screaming at him to just _touch_ Miles won out.

But where to even begin?

"What's so funny, Wright?"

Phoenix shook his head, still grinning. Miles probably thought he had gone insane in the last few years, but really Phoenix was just happy that Miles was standing here in front of him, still emotionally constipated and unhealthily obsessed with off shades of the color red. And was it just him or was that cravat actually _defying_ gravity now to maintain its flutter?

Maybe he was just panicking.

"It's just that..." Should he go for it? "Here, hold on." He was going for it.

Phoenix reached up and grabbed Miles' glasses before he could think any more about it. Miles visibly stiffened under the almost-contact as Phoenix pushed the spectacles back into place. His fingers may have brushed over the prosecutor's nose, but Phoenix couldn't really tell. Yeah, he was probably panicking. Though judging by the color Edgeworth was now turning...

_If he wasn't furious before he sure is now. Good going, Phoenix._

"Ah... Better?" Phoenix tried.

Miles recovered some and quickly fumbled to straighten out his clothing the best he could before crossing his arms. "Yes, thank you, Wright," he muttered frozenly.

"Mr. Edgeworth, you don't need to be thanking him," Detective Gumshoe stepped behind Edgeworth, chest heaving like a panting dog. "He's the one who came flying at you! Where's you're apology, pal? You could have broken Mr. Edgeworth's neck if he hadn't caught you!"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, Miles. I was, um, leaning against the door," Phoenix shot a glare at Trucy and Pearl, "when it opened all of the sudden." He just hoped the investigative duo would buy his testimony.

"Yeah, sure. A likely story, pal. Be more careful next time. If Mr. Edgeworth had been hurt I would have arrested you on the spot." Gumshoe was really getting riled up now.

_Detective, this probably isn't the place to joke about murder..._

"It's quite all right, Detective," Edgeworth cut in, much to Phoenix's relief. He'd forgotten how... tenacious Gumshoe could be. Miles was tapping his finger against his arm in annoyance. Phoenix smirked again. Same old Edgeworth. And on that note, same old scatterbrained Gumshoe. "No one was harmed. Please calm down."

Gumshoe sagged a little under Edgeworth's order, though he kept his mouth shut after muttering a "Yes, sir."

It was then that Phoenix caught the whispered conversation behind him.

"I can't really see from here..."

"Let's give Mr. Nick another push."

"Okay!"

Phoenix quickly stepped back into the hall as soon as he felt hands on his backside. "Whoa, no, no, no, no, no."

The group was now a loose circle, starting with Phoenix, then Edgeworth and Gumshoe, and ending back with Pearl and Trucy crowded in the doorway. The girls appeared a little shocked at being the sudden center of attention, both looking down and shuffling shyly.

Oh, right, didn't Pearl's mother drill something into her head about never talking to "strange-looking men"? Well, Gumshoe fit that description, at least. Time for introductions... Sort of.

"Ah, Pearl, you remember Mr. Edgeworth and Detective Gumshoe, don't you?"

_Be professional, Phoenix. He's been calling you 'Wright'. It's not like I have any excuse to be calling him 'Miles', anyways._

"Hello..."

It was a start. Besides, Phoenix doubted that Miles even knew about Trucy. Oh jeez. This was going to get tricky.

"Pearl Fey?" Edgeworth asked, some of his frigidness relaxing. Pearl glanced up and nodded at him. "It is good to see you again. You are quite a bit taller since the last time we met."

Phoenix sighed. This was good. Edgeworth was good as long as he wasn't talking to Phoenix. Phoenix didn't particularly want to analyze that fact.

"Speaking of Feys," Edgeworth continued, "whatever happened to that old assistant of yours, Wright?"

Phoenix jumped a little when Miles turned to him pointedly. Edgeworth had actually directed a question towards him! He was attempting small-talk. Maybe salvaging something of their relationship wouldn't be such a colossal mess after all.

_As if we ever had anything great in the first place_.

Yet there was still a nagging feeling that yes, he did still want Miles. Very badly.

_Resist the urge. I have other things to worry about. Trucy. Remember Trucy. I can't risk throwing my life away again._

"Mystic Maya is the best!" Pearl clapped her hands together loudly, eyes lighting up. All her previous shyness was completely evaporated. Nothing opened Pearls up like mentioning Maya. "She's the greatest Master of all time!"

_Okay, that has _got_ to be an exaggeration._

Judging by the concerned face Edgeworth was making, he was probably thinking the same.

Edgeworth smiled at Pearl none the less. "I'm sure she is." He turned to Trucy.

_No, no, no. I am not ready for this!_

"I don't believe we've met before."

"..." Trucy had the brim of her hat tipped over her face.

"I'm Miles Edgeworth, the prosecutor for this case," Edgeworth tried again.

"..." She didn't look up.

"This is Detective Gumshoe, my, ah, partner."

"Sir, you shouldn't frown when you say that..."

"..."

Miles shot Phoenix a helpless look. Phoenix shrugged in what he hoped was an encouraging gesture.

"...!" Trucy's head perked up suddenly, an intense look on her face. Phoenix violently recalled the first time he'd met her.

_Oh no, I hope she doesn't blurt anything out!_

"...When you say 'partner' do you mean like partner or like _partner_? Because if Mr. Scruffy Detective is your _partner_ _partner_ than that would upset my Daddy because, see, Pearly told me that you and my Daddy used to be rivals but were secretly, _madly_-"

"TRUCY!"

"_D-Daddy_? Wright is your-!"

"…Scruffy?"

**A/N Dear Capcom, please pick an eye color for Phoenix. Please. That is all I ask. Seriously though, ALL of his sprites, including the new, fancy 3D ones have BLUE eyes. Then in all the animation and SOME of the official art he has BROWN eyes. And THEN in the REST of the official art he has GRAY/BLACK eyes. PLEASE STOP AND PICK A COLOR! So I have a question for anyone who reviews for this chapter: what color would you prefer his eyes to be? The wiki says brown, so if no one reviews that is what I'll be using. (Hint hint: there will probably be deep, meaningful gazes in the next chapter so I need an eye color.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I Apollo-gize in advance for this chapter.**

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

_Daughter! W-Wright has a daughter?_

That couldn't be possible. It was completely, absolutely, definitely impossible. Wright was- what?- all of thirty-four now? And this girl was a teenager! She was practically half Phoenix's age! No. He must have heard wrong. Otherwise would be impossible, illogical, inconceivable.

Ludicrous.

The girl in question was now pouting at Wright. She didn't look chided in the least.

"Aw Daddy, I was just trying to help!"

There it was again. That word.

Phoenix sighed. "Trucy, I told you we were done talking about this." He looked a little deflated. It was just like Wright to be pushed around by a little girl.

_Not that little_, Miles reminded himself.

It just wasn't possible. Phoenix could not have a teenage daughter. Edgeworth supposed there had been that one girl- well technically two- but even that would have only been... Well not that he thought about it... One of the Hawthorne sisters _could_ have had a child with Phoenix, but still...

_How long has Wright known about her? Was he hiding her from me? All that time..._

Edgeworth felt a strange feeling welling up in his chest. Anger? Jealousy? Confusion?

…Panic?

"But he didn't answer my question about Mr. Scruffy!" The girl put her hands on her hips defiantly.

"Now see here, I am not scruffy!"

The Detective's comment went ignored.

"Trucy..." Wright was pleading with her now. It would seem that Trucy had a habit of not listening to him.

"So Mr. Edgeworth, what kind of a partner is this partner of yours?"

_J-Just what kind of a little girl is this?_

Edgeworth couldn't believe he was being interrogated about his love life by a teenager. A teenager that was allegedly Phoenix Wright's daughter.

Lucky for him, Wright stepped in.

"Trucy, Detective Gumshoe just works for Mr. Edgeworth's. It's nothing like that."

"Hey now, we're friends too..."

"Yeah, Mr. Edgeworth would never go for someone like that," Pearl cut in. "Not when he already has a special someone." She was blushing behind her hands.

_What on Earth has gotten into these girls!?_

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

This conversation was turning into more of a circus by the minute. And Phoenix really hated circuses.

_Stupid clown... He'll never understand true talent._

Back to the matter at hand, Phoenix needed to find a way to get things back under control. And fast. Miles looked like he might fall over.

"Okay okay. How about we start over?" Phoenix spoke over several people at once. Pearl and Trucy had been trying to get Miles' attention while Gumshoe was begging the prosecutor to confirm their friendship. Miles shot him a grateful look. He got a few nods from the rest of them.

"Edgeworth, this is Trucy. She's my daughter. Trucy, Edgeworth." Trucy stepped forward, ready to shake his hand.

"MMMMMMM!" Miles really looked like he might collapse now.

Trucy pulled back a little, concerned. "Um... Daddy? I think you may have broken him."

_No, that's just Miles. But why is he freaking out?_

"Wh..."

"Is he trying to say something?" Pearl leaned forward to hear better, still in the doorway.

"When..."

"Don't strain yourself, sir!" Gumshoe said.

_When? When what? Oh, wait!_

"Adopted! Trucy is my adopted daughter!" Phoenix amended, holding his hands up in defense.

"Then why didn't you say that in the first place?" If there had been a desk in front of him, Edgeworth would probably be banging it.

"Sorry," Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck. He wondered what had been going through Miles' head. Then again, it was probably better not to ask. "Trucy has been with me for... about eight years now. Ever since the Zak Gramarye trial."

_When I lost my badge_, Phoenix almost added.

Edgeworth must have read his mind, because he frowned at the name.

"Yep! That's when Daddy disappeared and I got my new Daddy!" Trucy was smiling, but Phoenix hated having to bring up her biological father. He knew it still hurt her.

"You're Gramarye's child?" Edgeworth sounded less surprised by this than he was about Phoenix having a daughter. Was him raising a kid really that hard to believe? Okay, so it may not have been the _best_ time in his life to be taking on that particular responsibility, but what had he been he supposed to do? Abandon her?

"Uh-huh. And I'm a magician, too. Just like Daddy!"

"Hold on a sec, pal," Gumshoe intervened. "Mr. Wright isn't a magician."

"No no, my _real_ Daddy!" She swirled her cape for emphasis.

Gumshoe scratched his head. "Mr. Edgeworth, this kid isn't making sense."

_Oh, Gumshoe._

"Detective, she means her... oh never mind." Edgeworth gave up on the poor Detective and redirected his attention to Phoenix. He seemed to have finished absorbing the "hey, I have a kid now" bomb Phoenix had dropped on him. Miles was peering at him from the side, hugging his arms. His expression was all too familiar, and it reminded of Phoenix of the first time he had lost Edgeworth. It was the way he got when he was feeling insecure.

_Thanks to you, I am saddled with unnecessary… feelings._

_Unease… and uncertainty._

Back then Phoenix had thought that by defeating von Karma and bringing light to Edgeworth's past he had somehow saved his friend. He believed that he had shown Miles that he didn't need to be the Demon Prosecutor anymore; made him believe he could start a new life.

That had been a joke.

_Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death._

It hadn't been a very funny one.

When Miles had come back after that, Phoenix had been beside himself. How _dare_ he show his face again after _that_. Phoenix had yelled at him, refused him, gotten angry.

Now here was Miles, wearing the same lost expression, looking for some kind of forgiveness. But this time there was no yelling, no anger. _Maybe I'm just tired of yelling_, he reasoned. After all, it's not like Miles ever listened. Otherwise they wouldn't be in this situation.

_Miles… What must you think of me? I was pretty washed up for a while there and I have a daughter now, but I'm still here. And you're still there. If things keep going this way I… I don't know what I'll do. We can't keep meeting like this, but we're going to if you stick around as Head Prosecutor. That's the way it's going to be. Off-chance encounters. On opposite sides. And you… you're glaring again._

Phoenix gulped.

"Wright, if you don't mind, I think we should-"

"Mr. Wright! I'm sorry I'm late!"

The whole group turned to see a very red-faced Apollo careening towards them.

_Oh, no. Here comes Justice..._

-District Courtroom 3rd Floor Lobby-

"Polly!"

A short, scrawny man in a red suit came running up to the group, clutching a file in his hand and waving it over his head. He passed Gumshoe and Edgeworth and skidded to a halt in front of Phoenix.

"Mister... Wright..." He panted, bending over to rest his hand on his knees and catch his breath. If it weren't for the attorney's badge on his collar, Edgeworth would have mistaken him for a kid. If anyone was ever in sore need of a growth spurt...

"Hey Apollo, didn't think you were going to make it," Wright greeted, smirking down at the younger man. It was almost as if he were enjoying his pain.

_No, that can't be right. Though Wright did sometimes enjoy pressing witnesses a little too much..._

"Are you okay?" Pearl asked, the only one from Wright's group who looked the least bit concerned for their tardy ally.

"I'm... fine..." The man wheezed.

_You certainly don't look fine!_

Apollo straightened up after a moment of heavy breathing, shoving the file toward Phoenix. "HERE'S THE FILE YOU ASKED FOR!"

_Why is he shouting!?_

Detective Gumshoe jumped. "There's no need to yell, pal!"

"S-Sorry!"

"Those are just Polly's Chords of Steel!" Trucy explained.

_Chords of what now? Wright, just what kind of a law office are you running?_

Wright didn't take the file from Apollo, so the younger man lowered his offering. "Why so late Apollo? I thought Justice never rested?"

"A-Ah," the man apparently named 'Apollo' rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "The tire on my bike blew and I missed the bus so..."

"Polly!" Trucy gasped. "You ran all the way here?"

"Ye-yeah..." The young attorney slumped after admitting his fate. He looked so wretched that Edgeworth felt kind of bad for him. Well, he would have, if he hadn't been distracted by Phoenix's chuckling.

He... he really had missed that sound.

"Mr. Wright..." Apollo sagged even further under his mentor's obvious amusement. Edgeworth got the feeling that Apollo usually found himself at the wrong end of jokes.

Apollo glanced around for some help. It was then that he noticed Edgeworth and Gumshoe.

"H-he-hey!"

Phoenix followed the young man's frantic pointing. "Oh, right. Apollo, meet Detective Gumshoe and-"

"Y-you're Miles Edgeworth!" the man was shouting again.

"Yes I-"

"The Chief Prosecutor!"

"That is also-"

"Phoenix Wright's court rival!"

_Is this kid going just going to yell information I already know?_

"I was, yes." Miles managed to finish that time. Apollo was still pointing at him, the color of his face starting to match his suit.

"Wow..."

Miles didn't know what to say to that.

"You lost a lot."

"Urk!"

_B-Blunt!_

Phoenix was laughing again, though. It was strange how the tension of their reunion had faded into almost companionable normalcy. It was almost like they were meeting for a trial eight years ago, when everything had been easy between them. Nothing forced or painful. Well, there had still been pain, but less of it for certain.

Edgeworth recalled some of his reunions with Wright hadn't gone so smoothly.

_Did you leave because you had lost your "perfect win record"...? To think your motivation for prosecuting trials was so selfish... It'd have been better for everyone if you never came back from the dead, Edgeworth!_

Miles' grip on his arms tightened at the unwelcome memory. Leaving Phoenix had been what he had needed to do back then to... to find himself. To find answers. But even afterwards he left again. Back to Germany. Away from Phoenix. Eventually he would come back, when Phoenix was in trouble. When _his_ savior needed _him_.

_It's been one year since I left that country... I thought I wouldn't have to see him again for a while... Sounds like it won't be a pretty reunion... As if I expected anything to change._

That time, Miles had thought Phoenix was dying. He had to go to him. This time... Miles hadn't come back. Phoenix could have been dying. Alone. Unemployed. Yet here he was: not angry, not hurt, but laughing. It was...

Miles looked up to find Phoenix's laughter directed toward him. He turned away again.

_Too much._

"Yeah. I guess we were rivals, huh, Edgeworth?" His question forced Miles to glimpse at him again. Phoenix was giving him a soft smile. Miles stood, frozen by it. Phoenix never smiled like that before. His smiles were broad, toothy grins that lit up his whole face. Even his smirks were as big and quirky as his eyebrows. But this smile was tentative and small. Miles finally met Phoenix's eyes.

They were sad. Miles couldn't believe it. Phoenix was smiling at him with the saddest eyes Miles had ever seen.

He choked.

Phoenix's sad smile became a frown and he turned back to Apollo.

"We were kind of like you and that Klavier kid," and just as quickly as it has happened, Phoenix was back to smirking down at his short protégé.

_Klavier… Why is that name familiar?_ Edgeworth wondered.

"Oh Klavier!" Trucy jumped in enthusiastically. "Pearly, you'll love him. Polly can get us tickets to his concert!"

"Concert?" Pearl asked, interested in the conversation now. Edgeworth had felt her stare burning holes at him for the last few minutes.

"Yeah! He's a rockstar!" Trucy explained.

Edgeworth suddenly remembered the young prosecutor from the office. As if he could forget someone so… glittery.

_Oh yes, _him_. Standards in lawyers have certainly gone down but if Wright thinks he's going somewhere…_

"A rockstar?" Pearl said dreamily, blushing behind her hands and obviously embarking on some wild fantasy.

"Uh-huh, and a total prince..." Trucy was looking far-off too, now.

"Can we please not talk about that guy?" Apollo interrupted, rubbing a hand over his hair that Edgeworth was just noticing to be actually quite intimidating.

_How much hair gel does he use!? Are those supposed to be horns...? And what is with that gawky bracelet?_

"So Mr. Nick, how are you and Mr. Edgeworth like Mr. Apollo and Mr. Klavier?" Pearl asked, coming back to the real world.

"Well," Phoenix started.

"Is it because you all have taboo love? Are you star-crossed lovers? That's so romantic!" Pearl's eyes were practically sparkling now.

"M-Mr. Wright!" Apollo shouted.

"No, no, no," Wright continued quickly. Apollo was coloring again. He didn't seem like he fared well under pressure.

Edgeworth risked peeking at Phoenix again, anxious to here why on Earth he would compare the two of them to this incompetent duo.

_All that glitter…__  
_  
"It's because we worked as a team fighting for justice rather than as defense attorney and prosecutor," Phoenix glanced at Edgeworth again as he said this. "The truth is what matters in any case, no matter who is guilty." Miles held his gaze, captured again.

This time Edgeworth expected accusing eyes. Eyes blaming him, marking his as the Demon Prosecutor. But Phoenix's eyes were fiery with a different light. He looked distant, the passion in his words coming from some memory.

Dee Vasquez. Redd White. Damon Gant. Matt Engarde. Diego Armando.

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

Not all of them had been evil, but they had committed inexcusable crimes. Together, he and Wright had brought them to justice against impossible odds.

Manfred von Karma.

Guilty.

Saved.

Emotions now boiled inside Edgeworth under Phoenix's gaze. Phoenix had saved him. Phoenix had taught him. Phoenix had _loved_ him. _Him_. The guilty man. The Demon Prosecutor.

_Phoenix..._

"That is," Phoenix continued, breaking contact with Edgeworth, misty eyes suddenly clearing and snapping back to his protégé, "unless you aren't telling us something, Apollo?"

"OBJECTION!" Apollo screeched, his whole face turning red.

_You ruined the moment, Wright._

**A/N: This story was supposed to be three chapters. Looks like that's not happening.**

**For the record, the eye-color thing came out to be a tie so I'm just going to try to avoid it. But if I do it will probably be brown, seeing is that is what we are getting in the Dual Destinies cutscenes. Might as well get used to it. **

**Also, raise your hand if you hate Moe the Clown.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I'm glad to see that there are some people in the world who hate Moe as much as I do. I'm replaying Justice for All so, yeah, circuses. You're pretty face better be worth this, Edgeworth.**

**And apparently I only have the capacity to write really short chapters. Really short, slow updating chapters. (I'm sorry.)**

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

Well, that had been a close one. Bringing up their history had had Phoenix's mind traveling to places it did not need to go. Okay, so it might have been a little unfair to use Apollo as a scapegoat, but honestly he should be used to it by now.

Phoenix didn't need to remember all the times he and Miles had worked together. Phoenix didn't need to remember the kind of team they had been. And Phoenix certainly didn't need to remember the fifteen years of his life he had spent clinging to their childhood friendship.

He didn't need it because any way he looked at it, the end result was the same. Their days of teamwork were over. _They_ were over. Past tense. They hadn't crashed and burned, maybe, but what they were had faded away all the same. It wasn't fifteen years this time, but then, this time was different. After all, one could only cling to their absent lover for so long.

Phoenix had let go.

_Right now I… I'm studying to become a lawyer myself._

_That's what you keep saying… But I thought you were in the Art Department?_

_Well, yeah… I guess I am… But there's a friend that I desperately want to help! And if I hurry, then I should still be able to save him in time!_

Somewhere along the line, Phoenix had lost that desire to fight for Edgeworth. He had done his part. Miles needed to step up to the plate, now.

Speaking of Miles, he had released the grip on his arms and was now glaring at him. Again. Was he angry about something Phoenix said? Something about them?

_This is going to get really awkward really fast_.

Phoenix wished his client would show up soon.

"Wright, stop badgering your protégé. He's here to learn from you, though I can't fathom why since all you seem to do is harass him!" Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest as if that settled the matter.

_That's not—okay maybe it is a little true._

"Uh," Apollo started. His red face was calming down from his previous bout of shouting. "That's not really the case, Mr. Edgeworth..."

Edgeworth grimaced, obviously confused. Something about his perfect logic didn't add up, Phoenix guessed. Miles turned to Apollo. "You mean you're not Wright's apprentice?"

Apollo ran a hand through his gelled hair. "Well, I guess I am but-"

"Polly works for me!" Trucy cut Apollo off, proudly stepping forward and tipping her hat.

"Works for you?" Edgeworth echoed, peering down at Trucy in shock.

"That's right!" Trucy continued enthusiastically. "I hired Polly so he works for me! I'm the CEO of the Wright Anything Agency. It used to be the Wright Talent Agency but since Polly really doesn't have any talent-"

"Hey!" Apollo protested.

"-we had to change the name."

"And what made it so great before?" Apollo grumbled, put off by Trucy's comment.

"Well I'm a magician- that takes real talent- and Daddy played the piano!"

"You call what he did playing?" Apollo challenged. Phoenix almost laughed at that. He wanted to see if Edgeworth would further question his piano skills. Miles looked like he wanted to say something but was too overwhelmed by the fight Trucy and Apollo were having.

Trucy stuck her tongue out and Apollo seemed to give up on making his point.

_They really do act like siblings, sometimes_, Phoenix observed absently.

With the spat over, Edgeworth finally got his chance to get a word in edgewise. "Well," He said, seeming to mull the whole story over for a moment. "That certainly is a strange reason way to join a law firm."

"Talent agency!" Trucy corrected. "With some less-than-talented people at the moment." Apollo grumbled something again.

"Yes, talent agency," Edgeworth amended. He still looked a little confused, though. "But that still doesn't explain how you joined in the first place."

Apollo took this question. "Well, actually, it's kind of a weird story. I was defending Mr. Wright in a murder trial and-"

"Murder?!" Edgeworth shot a startled look at Phoenix. He shrugged at him and gave Apollo a nod to keep going.

_Guess he'd find out eventually. It's public record now, anyways._

It was about time they started catching up on the last few years. There was just that one little detail that Miles didn't need to know about this case in particular...

At Phoenix's sign of approval, Apollo continued. "Yeah, uh, murder. Anyways, my mentor at the time, well, he actually turned out to be, um..."

"Guilty!" Trucy provided. Phoenix made a mental note to work on Apollo's presence. He was his mentor now, after all.

"Yeah, guilty," Apollo amended quietly. Phoenix knew that he didn't like talking about Kristoph Gavin. Oh well.

_Asshole_.

"And to make a long story short, that's how I met Mr. Wright and Trucy." Apollo finished, now sheepishly playing with the spikes on his head.

"Polly! You're forgetting the part where you punched Daddy!" Trucy cut in again.

"Punched?"Pearl gasped.

"You punch Mr. Wright, pal?" Gumshoe looked down at Apollo from over Edgeworth's shoulder, clearly impressed. Being the tallest of the group, the effect was almost... looming.

"Oh, yeah, that..."

"That?" Phoenix jumped in. "You really socked me, Apollo." He rubbed his jaw in memory.

"Oh, don't play wounded, Wright. I'm sure you deserved it." Edgeworth reprimanded, not even sparing a glance in his direction.

_Is he avoiding me again?_

Edgeworth kept doing that. The whole time they had been in this hallway, Miles kept switching between being open with him and looking pointedly away. It was starting to get a little annoying. Did he want to try to be friends or not? He seemed plenty interested in Phoenix's life story, well, the new parts anyway. Maybe Miles just didn't know when to stop trying to make small talk and take his leave.

But they were getting close to dangerous territory with this 'innocent' conversation.

"What did he do?" Gumshoe asked. Phoenix felt his whole face fall.

_Oh no, please nobody answer that._

Miles could not find out. He just couldn't. Not that. Miles wouldn't understand that it had been... That he was just...

"Daddy gave Polly forged evidence!"

"W-what?" Miles' face froze. Phoenix almost couldn't look. Miles turned away from Trucy slowly. He met Phoenix's eyes. They were... they were...

It was like Phoenix was watching his every belief be crushed.

_Miles, please, you're going to have to listen to me._

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

_He forged evidence. Phoenix Wright forged evidence._

Out of everything Miles had heard today, this was the hardest to believe. It just could not be true.

He had heard, of course, the reason why Wright had lost his badge. He had been accused and found guilty of presenting a forgery as evidence. But Miles had always believed that Phoenix had been tricked. Deceived. It had all been a lie. It had to be. He had even cleared his name and retaken the bar!

But now...

Phoenix Wright had knowingly given this man forged evidence to use. Miles' Phoenix had taught him the true meaning of justice. Miles' Phoenix had stood by him when Gant had revealed the lies he had been filling him with, the forgeries and fakes he had been providing. Miles had thought he had won his cases by just means. They had all been perfect, but in the end everything was just a sham.

Edgeworth had been tricked, taken for a fool. And now Wright had done the same to this young novice.

Phoenix Wright was not the man he used to be.

It was all just more lies.

What kind of a man was Phoenix Wright, really? Because it was quite clear that Miles didn't know him at all.

_Why does everyone lie to me?_

Von Karma had lied. Gant had lied. And now Phoenix was no better.

Miles took a step back from the group, from Phoenix. He couldn't stay here. The world was losing meaning again. He was losing himself again.

"Miles," Phoenix said, matching Edgeworth's distancing steps with his own advances. "Listen, it's not as bad as you think."

"Mr. Edgeworth, are you okay?" Gumshoe asked, concerned. With a comment like that, Edgeworth was sure his entire spectrum of emotion was playing out on his face._ Curse you,Wright. Curse you for having this effect on me, this much power. _Apollo reached up and just barely managed to put a hand on the larger man's shoulder to warn him against getting between the attorney and prosecutor.

Miles had wanted to find his own way. He thought he had. But one little action by Phoenix Wright had all his principles crumbling around him. It wasn't fair. He had worked so hard to fix himself after Wright had saved him. Wright was supposed to be his support, his one constant.

"Shut up, Wright!" Edgeworth didn't want any excuses. His back hit a wall. Trapped. "You know you can't justify that."

"Miles, please..."

"I don't want to hear it." He couldn't look at him anymore. Miles glared down the hall, back towards his own lounge. Glaring was his defense system. It was better than letting Phoenix see him breaking.

He should never have come back.

A hand gripped his arm, right above where he was tightly holding himself with his own. "We need to talk. In private." The hand pried his fingers loose and laced them with its own.

Edgeworth was roughly pulled off the wall. He was being dragged down the hall.

_This won't change anything, Wright. You've... you've really done it this time. What would your mentor think of you now?_

But Edgeworth allowed himself to be pulled along. It was not because he was lost again. He was stronger now. He would find a new truth to rely on. Probably.

It was not because he needed to know why. He didn't want lame excuses. Phoenix had done the unforgivable in law. Not only that, the unforgiveable to _them. _Wright of all people would know how wrong he was, after all they had been through together. He should understand completely how Miles would feel about the matter. And he should know that he would not be forgiven.

And it was certainly not because it was Phoenix who was holding his hand, promising to make everything right again.

They stopped in front of the door to Defendant Lobby No.2. It would be empty at this hour, too early for any other defense teams to be showing up and there were not trials scheduled before theirs that morning.

Wright pulled it open and Miles allowed himself to be led inside.

_Lies. All lies._

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

When the door shut behind the two lawyers, Trucy let out a huge, whooping cat-call.

"Trucy, timing..." Apollo sighed, resisting the urge to melt into the carpeting. This was all turning into one big disaster. Whatever had just gone down had not been a good thing.

"Polly, I told you. I'm his Sugar Daddy! I've got to encourage him to go for it!" Trucy defended.

"Mr. Apollo?" Pearl spoke up. "What's a 'sugar daddy?'"

"Ah..."

"Well, you see Pearly-"

"That's enough, Trucy!"

"Sugar daddy?" Detective Gumshoe shuffled closer to the remains of their group. To be honest, Apollo kept forgetting he was there. He looked at a loss of what to do with himself now that Mr. Edgeworth was gone. "I think that Harry Butz guy had a girlfriend with a bunch of those one time..."

"Harry Butz?" Pearl asked.

"I think he means Uncle Larry." Trucy said.

_Hairy Larry, what?_

"W-wait Trucy…" Apollo said, his brain finally catching up to why they were having this conversation in the first place. "When you say you're acting as his "Sugar Daddy" you mean to say that Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth are…"

"Special someones," Pearl provided, blushing again.

"Yep!" Trucy confirmed, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet.

"H-Hold it!" Apollo refuted. "But Mr. Edgeworth is the Chief Prosecutor and Mr. Wright is an attorney!"

"Isn't it romantic?" Pearl's mind was off day-dreaming again.

"Not really," Gumshoe said. "They broke up ages ago."

"But they're going to get back together!" Pearl argued, fist at the ready.

"Hey, now, pal… No need to get violent."

"Yeah, Daddy's gonna get me a new Mommy. He just has to this time!"

Apollo drowned the lot of them out. He must have missed something earlier.

_Wait a minute…_

Somewhere, a light bulb was turning on.

"Hey! So earlier when Mr. Wright was comparing himself and Mr. Edgeworth to Prosecutor Gavin and me you all thought that…!"

"Yep!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Sorry, pal…"

Apollo's shoulders sank. That was never, ever, _ever_ going to happen. Time to change the subject. "How about we wait for them inside? We can also keep an eye out for the defendant."

"Great idea, pal!"

"Yeah, okay."

"Sure thing, Mr. Apollo."

Apollo was suddenly stricken with the feeling that he was babysitting as he ushered the three of them inside the defendant lobby.

Somehow this was all Mr. Wright's fault.

_Why me...?_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Last chapter. For some reason it came out to be much longer than the other chapters, but that's cool. I hope this has done something to tide you all over until Dual Destinies releases (eventually).**

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed. I was not confident at all when posting this but I hope you enjoyed it and I'll definitely probably write more for Ace Attorney in the future. **

-District Court Defense Lobby No.1-

No one was inside the lobby Phoenix had lead them to; even the lights were off. Phoenix shut the door behind himself and it clicked solidly back into its frame.

They stood in silence. Neither of them bothered to reach for the light, enough was coming through the window for them to see each other.

Phoenix had his back pressed against the door, blocking Miles' only exit. Edgeworth wished he had something to support himself with right about now. His go-to plan for avoiding these kinds of positions (or social situations in general) was to bolt. It would seem that Wright remembered that.

Miles crossed his arms and glared at the floor. "You wanted to talk, Wright. So talk."

Out of the corner of his eye, Miles could just see Phoenix's frame slumping further against door.

Phoenix cleared his throat. "Did you see the Drew Misham trial?"

Miles had. Well, he'd read over the summary once it was finished and Gumshoe had called him frantically insisting 'You gotta see this, sir!'

"Yes." Miles said for Phoenix's benefit.

Phoenix straightened a little. "Well, then you know where it all started."

Miles could feel Phoenix's eyes on him now. He didn't look up.

"Kristoph Gavin." Phoenix continued.

More silence indicated that Wright was waiting for him to say something.

"He... was a defense attorney?" Edgeworth said. The sooner Wright got his spiel over with, the sooner Miles would be free to go.

"Yeah. It was proved that he was the one who forged that evidence all those years ago. That's why I'm standing here now." Miles guessed that Phoenix was fingering his precious badge.

Miles finally looked up. "That doesn't explain why you gave forged evidence to Apollo Justice."

Phoenix was frowning at him; the same way a parent would before deciding how to explain something delicately to a child. Miles briefly considered just punching Phoenix and forcing his way through the door. Maybe that would get his opinion through Wright's thick skull.

Phoenix sighed after a few moments of being the new target of Miles' glare. "Yeah, that was my fault."

"Then why-!"

"Hold on, Miles. I wasn't finished." Phoenix's eyes were practically smoldering now, trying to keep Miles from turning away again.

...They were doing a good job.

"Drew Misham and his daughter were the forgers of the evidence I used in the Gramarye trial, so they were both connected. Both of them were poisoned by Kristoph Gavin. Now think! Who else would have been a liability to Kristoph if they were left alone?"

Miles didn't want to hear Phoenix's justifications, but his brain was already reaching for the only logical option. No. Kristoph had been trying to...

Something in his gut twisted.

"You," Miles breathed, hardly believing it. Someone had been trying to kill Phoenix that whole time. And Miles had been gone. What if they had succeeded? Phoenix would have been all alone and...

And dead.

It didn't matter. Wright should have called him, explained the situation. Anything. Together they could have figured something out. There was no excuse for using forged evidence. Phoenix had taught him that there was always another way to uncover the truth.

"That's right," Phoenix confirmed. "I figured it out during that trial. Kristoph had been meaning to kill Zak Gramarye and frame me for it. Then we would have both been out of the picture. Luckily, he only halfway succeeded."

_You and your luck, Wright._

"So you forged the evidence to stop him?" The pieces were finally coming together. Or so Edgeworth thought. Wright was shaking his head.

"You have to believe me, Miles. That evidence I gave Apollo wasn't forged."

"He doesn't agree with you."

"It wasn't forged." Phoenix insisted. "It was... replicated."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" This was going in circles.

"The evidence I gave Apollo was real, Miles. I saw it. But it was decisive. Too decisive." Phoenix's words were colored with anger now, though Miles could tell it was not directed at him. It was the way Phoenix used to talk about Damon Gant in Miles' weaker moments, fiercely reminding him that any falsities he had used in his perfect trials had been by the hand of _that man_. It was the way he would talk about Manfred von Karma when Miles had finally confessed to him about his life under the man's guardianship.

He was angry at the scars left behind by an enemy defeated.

"Kristoph destroyed that evidence before I figured out his true motives," Phoenix continued. "Miles, I was so stupid. But it was the only way to win the case, so I had it recreated and gave it to Apollo."

Miles was really wishing he had a chair now, but he stood as well as he could while he mulled over this new information. The evidence wasn't forged, it was... replicated.

_The only thing that belongs in a trial is evidence. I told you that, Wright. Don't you remember?_

"...Can you prove that the evidence was there to begin with?"

During his explanation, Phoenix had stopped leaning on the door and instead was standing firmly in front of it, his confidence building. Now, he slumped back against the frame.

_That's not good._

"I can't," Phoenix admitted with defeat. "But I'm not lying, Miles. I would never lie to you and you know that."

Wright was... right. He wouldn't lie. Edgeworth was the lier. Edgeworth was the one who ran away. But this time it was Phoenix who was asking for forgiveness.

Today was not turning out as Miles had anticipated.

_I was supposed to be the one apologizing, you idiot. I'm the one who's come crawling back. Now look what you've done._

All of the sudden, Phoenix smiled at him. It was another one of those new, shy, sad smiles.

"I bet I know what you're thinking," he said. "Evidence is everything, right? I think you told me that once."

_So you do remember. After all, it was you who clung to that silly class trial for all those years._

"I believe a lot of people have told you that, Wright, and most of them are in prison now."

Phoenix's sad smile grew into a genuine grin at that. Edgeworth couldn't resist smirking back. Phoenix was infectious.

This was all... taking a pleasant turn.

Edgeworth sighed, his smirk still battling to stay on his face. "Wright, someone was trying to kill you. Did you ever consider that that _might_ constitute calling some of your old friends and asking for help?"

Phoenix's smile fell instantly. He didn't look away, though. Phoenix was the kind of man to tell someone how he felt directly to their face. Miles... Miles left notes and ran.

"Miles, you left, remember?"

There it was. His crime. Now both of their wrongs were out in the open.

"I..." Miles trailed off. What was he supposed to say now? It was the truth.

"Or should I say you left _again_, Miles? You didn't even leave a note this time."

Miles had been expecting this. All along he should have known Phoenix would be bitter. Their reunions had never been... welcoming, to say the least.

It had been so nice, seeing him again. Even with all the drama of the day, meeting Wright's daughter and questionable new apprentice had been nice. Seeing Wright smiling and laughing around him and with him had been... nice.

But it wasn't going to last, Miles realized. He had finally done it. Edgeworth had pushed Wright too far away and he had filled that hole with new people. People who deserved Phoenix a lot more than him.

It still hurt, though.

"Yes... I left." Miles said when he realized Phoenix was waiting for an answer.

"_Why_?"

It was an impossible question to answer. Edgeworth hadn't meant to leave this time. It just so happened that he was on assignment in Germany after the whole ordeal with that smuggling ring, when he received news that Wright had lost his badge. He had lost it for presenting faulty evidence, no less! Miles had wanted to rush to his side, but his insecurities had gotten the better of him. Why would Wright want to see him? He had used faulty evidence. He still had his badge. It wasn't fair. Phoenix was always the strong one, reassuring him that everything would be all right. Edgeworth couldn't go to Phoenix... he didn't know how or what to say. Wright was the better person. He would never... It was so unfair!

Edgeworth didn't leave Phoenix. He just never came back. He was scared to know what he would find when he came back. It was better to pretend that Phoenix would be waiting for him, as lucky and confident as ever. But there was no way to explain that to Wright, and it was clear that he had lost all his trust in the prosecutor.

So instead of trying, Edgeworth counterattacked

"You forged evidence." Edgeworth needed to remind himself of that. Phoenix wasn't completely innocent here either. Presenting false evidence was a crime! Phoenix Wright was a criminal! And Edgeworth... Edgeworth had sworn to hate criminals.

_No, I could never hate you, Wright._

"Replicated!" Wright protested.

"It's the same thing! If you couldn't prove it in the court then you can't justify it to me." Miles was angry at himself. He hated that their relationship had come to this and every time they got close to getting somewhere it blew up in his face. It was all his fault, but instead of trying to fix it Miles was lashing out at Phoenix. He didn't deserve Phoenix. Returning to California had been a mistake. Phoenix should just let him leave. Again.

It was easier that way.

"Oh that's rich. Can you justify leaving me? Eight years, Miles! And you wanted _me_ to call _you_?" Wright took a step closer.

...This time his anger was definitely directed towards Edgeworth.

"Yes! Wright, you could have died!" Edgeworth unconsciously mirrored Phoenix's advance. Now they were both two steps closer.

"And you cared a whole lot about me and my wellbeing, huh?" Another step.

"That's not my point!" Miles brought himself forward again.

"Then what _is_ your point?"

So much for pleasant. It was now a game to see who would back off first. Wright was now completely off the door, and his stance was suggesting that he was prepared to slug Edgeworth at any moment. Miles was sure his own posture wasn't much better, but the distance between them had lessened significantly. Miles could feel Wright's hostile breathing on his face. This close, Phoenix's eyes were burning into him. It was infuriating. He wanted to punch Wright, he deserved it. For forging- replicating- presenting falsified evidence! Wright was no better than a criminal. He wanted Wright to punch him, Miles definitely deserved it. For leaving. For not being there all this time. He wanted...

In the silence the dark room only intensified the charged atmosphere.

"Dammit Phoenix, just kiss me."

-District Court Defense Lobby No.2-

After a few minutes of waiting, Apollo and the girls resigned themselves to making the most of Mr. Wright's absence. Detective Gumshoe joined them with reluctance and kept glancing at the door, as if he could will Mr. Edgeworth back. Apollo opened the folder he was still carrying, prepared to start orating the details of case. He figured they could all use a little refresher after all the commotion.

He didn't get very far.

"H-Hey now! What are you doing with those? A lady shouldn't show her panties in public!" Apollo looked up from the file to find a reddening Detective Gumshoe backing away from Trucy and her famous Magic Panties which she, once again, had produced from nowhere.

"Calm down, Mr. Detective. I'm going to show you a magic trick!" Trucy said, brandishing her panties at him proudly.

"Magic? With panties?"

"A true magician can perform with anything, isn't that right, Polly?" Trucy flashed a grin in his direction.

Apollo sighed. "Please don't drag me into this." Trucy huffed at him.

"I think you can perform with anything, Trucy," Pearl said. With that approval, Trucy went ahead with getting into position for her performance and Pearl grabbed Gumshoe by the arm, leading him over to the couch to watch.

The couch where Wright's defendant should have been waiting for them.

_When it comes to running late, this guy is guilty!_

Apollo went back to his file, occasionally being distracted by the "ooohs" and "ahhhs" from the Detective and Pearl. There was a collection of impossible items growing at Trucy's feet from the things she made appear from her panties, some of which included a tire iron, a fishbowl (minus the fish), and a bowl of popcorn which the two spectators finished off quickly. Gumshoe was particularly enthusiastic when Trucy brought out Mr. Hat, letting out a "Whoa there, pal!" in surprise.

The usual. It was honestly surprising what Apollo considered normal these days.

And maybe just a little bit concerning...

When Trucy ran out of tricks from her limited supply of equipment (Apollo supposed even Magic Panties ran out of room eventually) the group returned to quietly waiting. Trucy settled next to Pearl on the couch.

After a few minutes passed, Trucy spoke. "I hope Daddy's doing okay in there."

"They really have been a long time..." Pearl agreed. Gumshoe shot another sorry look at the door.

_He's like a lost puppy waiting for its master..._

Whatever the relationship between Detective Gumshoe and Mr. Edgeworth was, it was certainly friendlier than the one between Prosecutor Gavin and his own detective.

"I think Polly should go check on them!"

Apollo was pulled out of his absent observations. "W-What? No!"

"But what if something bad happened?" Trucy continued. "You have to make sure everything is going well, Polly!"

Apollo shook his head. "No way. I'm not going in there. Why don't you go if you're so worried?"

Trucy frowned and looked down.

_Uh-oh. I said something wrong..._

"I don't think that Edgeworth guy likes me very much..."

"Trucy..." Pearl put an arm around the other girl's shoulder.

Apollo didn't know how to respond to that. Lucky for him, Gumshoe was the expert on all things Edgeworth.

"No way, pal! I'm sure Mr. Edgeworth likes you plenty. He just has a funny way of showing it sometimes." He gave her a big, lopsided smile.

"You really think so?"

"I know so! Why, it took years for him to stop cutting my salary every time I messed up!"

_Don't say that like it's a good thing!_

"Then that settles it," Trucy said with new determination, squeezing her fists together. "Polly, you gotta go in there so Edgeworth doesn't hate me for years if I mess up! I don't want my new Mommy to hate me! Or Daddy, since he's a boy and all..."

_New Daddy? Oh, I see where this is all coming from._

Apollo figured it might be time for some explaining, now that he had the whole picture.

"Trucy, I don't think Mr. Edgeworth is going to be your new Mommy- er, Daddy- or whatever."

Trucy puffed out her cheeks in indignation. "Why not?"

"Well," Apollo rubbed his head. Explaining this to Trucy was probably going to prove more trouble than it was worth, but someone needed to do it. It seemed that Mr. Wright had once again failed at controlling his daughter. "Didn't Detective Gumshoe say they broke up?"

"That's right," Gumshoe confirmed.

"People don't just- ouch!"

Apollo reeled back in shock. Pearl had stood from the couch and hit him.

It... It really hurt!

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Don't insult Mr. Nick and Mr. Edgeworth's love. They are meant for each other," Pearl said, still staring Apollo down menacingly, or, at least as menacingly as a teenage girl could pull off. Apollo rubbed his cheek. Okay, it was pretty menacing.

"And they've just got to get together, Polly!" Trucy took advantage of Apollo's momentary lapse to press her point. "I can't take care of Daddy forever, you know. He's got to find somebody to support him."

_Is she trying to say that he needs to find himself a man?_

_That's it. I will never understand their relationship._

While Apollo struggled to come up with a response, the door opened with a bang. Everyone looked up.

"Achtung! Ladies and gentlemen, I am looking for..."

_Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Please, anyone but him._

"Ah, if it isn't Herr Forehead himself! I was just looking for you. I just had to follow the sound of your remarkable shouting."

_Remarkable? Is that a good or a bad thing?_

In the doorway stood the shining rock star-prosecuting sensation: Klavier Gavin.

_Please don't come in._

Klavier practically sauntered into the room, shutting the door behind him. Apollo took it as an omen that his fate was sealed.

_Normal people don't walk like that._

"What are you doing here so early?" Klavier asked as he came closer. In the year that he had known him, Apollo still hadn't become accustomed to the man's lack of personal boundaries and flirtatious manner. Prosecutor Gavin should not be getting this close. Apollo had just assumed that it was a foreign thing (even if Kristoph Gavin hadn't acted the same way), but after meeting Mr. Edgeworth, who he heard grew up in Germany, he wasn't so sure.

"Mr. Wright has a case this morning." Apollo explained tersely. Jeez, it hadn't even been a year since Apollo did, well, _all that_ to his brother and Klavier was just as chipper around him as ever.

_This guy._

"Oh? Is that so? It wouldn't be because you just cannot wait for our court date this afternoon?" Klavier smiled down at him. It was more of a beam, really. Apollo might need sunglasses.

He also needed to remember to breathe at regular intervals.

"What are you doing here?" Apollo managed to get out.

Klavier frowned and drew back a little at that. "Nosey, aren't we, Herr Forehead?"

_You asked me first!_

"I... had to turn in some paperwork. Ja, that's it. My prosecuting heart never rests when it comes to justice, Herr Forehead."

Well that was the fishiest story Apollo had ever heard. And he had heard some pretty fishy stories.

_I'm not buying it._

Skepticism broke Klavier's dazzling effect on Apollo long enough for him to notice a few shiny black dots poking out of the blond's perfect hair.

_Only this man can make food look like a hair accessory._

"Oh really? You were here to turn in paperwork?" Apollo reached up and snagged one of the Snackoos out of the prosecutor's platinum locks. Klavier looked a little taken aback by Apollo's sudden grab at his perfect head, but was even more mortified after Apollo presented his findings.

_Gotcha!_

"Please, Herr Forehead. Don't tell the Fraülein Detective where I am, I'm beggin you." Klavier glanced at the door worriedly as if Detective Skye would come bursting through at any moment with more snack-ammo at the ready. Apollo had half the mind to call her up right now, even at the risk of becoming her new Snackoo target. If anything it would get rid of Klavier.

"We won't tell her, right, Polly?" Trucy said. Klavier blinked as he turned away from the door to face her, as if realizing for the first time that other people were in the room.

"Herr Forehead! What are you doing, hiding in here with all these pretty fraüleins?" So he _was_ just realizing there were other people. Klavier's mood went shooting back up as he took in both Pearl and Trucy sitting on the couch, his obnoxiously sweet smile coming back and showing off his obnoxiously straight teeth. Trucy smiled back and Pearl blushed.

_Damn you and your stupid pretty face!_

"I told Pearly here all about you and your band," Trucy said. Apollo didn't doubt that she had. Ever since that first concert she had become a regular Gavinners's fangirl. And it was just his luck that she would beg him to ask Klavier for tickets anytime a concert was being held in town. Actually, it was more like Klavier would send him tickets and beg him to come and he would hide them in his desk until Trucy came knocking. Apollo had almost cheered when Klavier had told him that he was breaking up the band.

"What? This beautiful fraülein has never heard of the Gavinners?" Klavier asked and carded a hand through his bangs playfully.

"She lives on a mountain," Trucy supplied.

"Wow Trucy... he really is a prince..." Pearl said dreamily, ogling Klavier and attempting to hide her blush with her hands. Great. One sentence and he'd already won her over.

_How does he do that?_

It took Pearl weeks to warm up to Apollo. She had hidden behind Mr. Wright during their whole introduction and for a long time after she ran out of the room when she saw him coming. Apollo thought that she must have been really shy or hated him for some reason. Eventually he started seeing the other side of her, even if it did take forever.

But no. Of course Klavier would be able to skip all of that awkwardness.

"A prince, you say?" Klavier bent down to meet her at eye-level. "But what is a prince without a princess?" That annoying little smile again.

"Hey now, pal. This girl is way too young for you." Detective Gumshoe said, his first words since Klavier entered the scene. Apollo guessed he had just been too overwhelmed to say anything before. He was giving Klavier a suspicious look.

Pearl was disheartened by Gumshoe's comment. She moved her gaze to her lap. "He's right Mr. Prince... Mr. Apollo can be your princess."

"OBJECTION!" No. No. No. Not ever. No.

Klavier straightened up and threw his head back. His hearty laughter filled the room.

_He's laughing?_

Apollo froze, file in still one hand and the other raised ready to point out all the contradictions in everything Pearl just said. Klavier continued to laugh. It was a loud, bubbly laugh that spread over the whole group until they were all laughing at Apollo too, even Gumshoe. Apollo felt his face reddening.

_Why are you always making fun of me?_

"Herr Forehead," he breathed after he regained his composure, smirking infuriatingly. "You always treat everything like a trial. You've got to relax a little, ja?" He snapped his fingers. "Besides, what makes you think you wouldn't be a fantastic match for a famous rockstar?"

_Wait... is he actually serious? I'm pretty sure snapping means he's serious_.

Klavier started laughing again. Apollo wanted to scream.

That's it. Phoenix Wright was going to pay for making him come today.

"I'm going to check on Mr. Wright," Apollo announced, moving around Klavier and bee-lining to the door.

Prosecutor Gavin held out an arm to stop him. "Don't go, Herr Forehead. We were just having a bit of fun, ja?"

_I'll show you fun when I kick your ass in court today._

Never the less, Apollo stepped back from Klavier's blockade.

Klavier was frowning down at him. "I didn't offend you, no?"

He... was being earnest. Apollo didn't know what to be more shocked about, that Klavier wasn't continuing to play everything off as a big joke or that he was genuinely concerned that he had made Apollo uncomfortable.

"I... I'm fine."

Klavier's smile returned. "Wonderful! You always look so serious, Herr Forehead. It's hard to tell what is going on in that big head of yours."

_And... back to making fun of me._

Before Apollo could respond, the door to opened again. Apollo looked past Klavier's shoulder (which he definitely did not need to stand on his toes to do) and saw the bailiff standing in the doorway.

"Are you the defense team?" the man asked.

"Yep!" Trucy called, hopping off the couch.

"The defendant is on his way. There was just a little mix-up at the Detention Center." The bailiff looked bashful, but Apollo wasn't going to shoot the messenger. He thanked the man, who nodded at him and took his leave.

"Well, I guess that settles it. I'll go get Mr. Wright." Apollo said when the door shut. He moved passed Klavier again, this time successfully.

"Make sure everything is okay, Polly!" Trucy called after him.

"But don't interrupt if their having a special moment!" Pearl added.

"Yeah, yeah." Apollo decided humoring them would be best for now.

"Can I come with you?" Gumshoe asked, also getting off the couch.

"Um... sure. Why not?"

_It's not like I have any authority over you..._

"Thanks, pal!"

"Oh! I can come too, ja?" Klavier asked.

"No."

"So harsh, Herr Forehead..." But Klavier didn't look put-out by the statement. In fact, he was playing with his hair again.

_Charm will get you everywhere, huh? I think he's been listening to Trucy._

-District Court Defendant Lobby No. 1-

Phoenix wanted to punch Miles. So bad. Just one good, solid hit would make him feel better. He was close enough now that Miles wouldn't see it coming before it was too late to dodge. Actually, thinking about it, they were really, really close.

Phoenix wasn't a violent person, but Miles had the audacity to come in here and repeatedly accuse him of things when it was obvious who should be doing the apologizing. Phoenix was sorry, sure, but Miles wasn't listening to his explanations. Besides, Miles had left. Miles was wrong. Miles should be asking _him_ for forgiveness. Knocking Edgeworth's lights out wouldn't solve anything, but Miles just made him so...

"Dammit Phoenix, just kiss me."

_Miles... You called me 'Phoenix'!_

He didn't need to be told twice. Phoenix grabbed Miles by his foppish, silly cravat and crashed their mouths together.

...With a little too much force.

Phoenix's teeth crack painfully against Miles' upon collision. Miles made a grousing noise of complaint, but it didn't deter him from kissing back just as forcefully in response. He felt Miles grip the front of his jacket and pull him closer. Unfortunately,Miles seemed to have forgotten that Phoenix was just a little shorter than him. At Miles' tug, Phoenix's mouth slipped and instead his face met the other man's shoulder.

They needed to calm down a bit.

"Er..." Edgeworth said, realizing his mistake.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's okay." It had been a long time for the both of them. Miles had changed, and Phoenix had changed. They were going to have to get used to each other again.

Wright pulled himself up and grabbed Edgeworth's shoulders. Miles still had his hands fisted in the front of Phoenix's jacket, and the look in his eyes told Phoenix that he wasn't going to let go any time soon. Phoenix just held them still for a few moments, letting them catch their breath. They still had some problems to sort out, Phoenix knew. But Phoenix remembered the way Edgeworth had looked when Trucy had let it fly that he had given Apollo some... _unique_ evidence. Miles had looked lost. It was the same look Phoenix had received when Edgeworth was in the Detention Center, questioning the true cause of his father's death. Phoenix didn't realize he had the same power over Miles as his nightmares. Now, Miles wasn't lost anymore. Phoenix wasn't going to let him be.

Eventually, Miles started shuffling awkwardly under Phoenix's hold. He tried to look away.

"Look at me." Phoenix said. It wasn't a command, but gentle. This time Phoenix wasn't going to let him run away. For the first time, Phoenix grasped that it had caused both of them pain when Miles left. But they needed to stop this and think. Phoenix had to be sure.

"You're staring." Miles didn't turn to face him.

"Miles. Do you really want this? I have a family now, and you're the Chief Prosecutor. It won't be so easy to run away this time."

When Miles finally looked up, he was frowning. "Phoenix, my job is an obligation, yes. But I came back because I was finally ready. That is, if you'll have me..."

"Miles, I've been chasing you since I was nine. I don't think you have to worry about that." Phoenix gave him a smile. Actually, that brought up another point. "Miles… there isn't anyone else, is there? I mean, it _has _been a long time."

Now Miles was really looking at him. Uh-oh. Miles was just about as amused by this question as he was by Phoenix's baseless conjectures in court. Though most of those ended up being slightly true…

"Phoenix, there was never anyone before you. What makes you believe that there would be anyone after?"

That was all Phoenix needed to hear. Given their previous failure, Phoenix used his grip on Miles' shoulders to spin them around and press Miles against the wall next to the door. Surprised by his sudden actions, Miles shouted "Wright!" in protest and tightened his grip on the attorney's jacket before Phoenix once again sealed their lips.

This time was much better.

Given their similarities in height, Edgeworth was able to use the wall to lean back some so Phoenix could stand over him a bit. Phoenix released his hold on Miles' shoulders and braced one hand against the wall, the other snaking its way around Miles' back to hold him up. This time when Miles gave his jacket a good tug Phoenix was only pulled down into a deeper, better angle.

The kiss was good. Probably made better by how _long_ it had been since their last sincere one. Phoenix easily pressed down on Miles' lips, and Miles used his grip on Phoenix's jacket as leverage to pull himself up and meet him. It wasn't as forceful as the first kiss had been. This one was trying to say something._ I missed you. I still love you_. Phoenix needed Miles to understand.

_You don't have to be alone._

Miles seemed to get it. He pulled Phoenix down with more force. Phoenix guessed that Miles was trying to say something, too. Miles was bigger than Phoenix. They were both fairly similar in physique, but Miles had the broader shoulders and the more commanding personality. In any case, right now Miles was letting Phoenix take the lead. Miles must be feeling insecure. Phoenix got the message pretty clearly. _I'm so sorry._ Miles wanted to know he was forgiven.

It wasn't long before they both gave up trying to treat each other gently the kiss became more passionate.

_I love you, Miles. All this time and I still love you so much._

Later, Phoenix would probably consider the fact that he might actually have some sort of obsession with Edgeworth, given the fact that he had pursued him since grade school and sent him numerous, almost stalker-like letters along the way. Even now, after eight years apart, his feelings had failed to dim even the slightest. But that could happen later. Besides, if he had a problem, then so did Miles.

They really were quite the pair.

Phoenix kissed Miles harder, the latter only knotting more of Phoenix's jacket fabric into his fists. There was hardly any space between them now.

_I really hope this position isn't hurting his back... We aren't twenty anymore._

Before Phoenix could adjust their position to make it more comfortable for Miles, light came flooding into the room as the door cracked open.

Phoenix pulled back from Miles to look up, blinking. Miles tried to chase him, but almost lost his footing and slumped back against the wall when Phoenix hurried to steady him.

" , your defendant is-" Apollo Justice was standing in the doorway, his head poking into the dark room. "Gah!"

All the times today where Apollo had blushed were nothing compared to now. The deep red on his face was now surpassing the color of his suit.

_Well, what now?_

Naturally, Phoenix followed his instincts and decided to make Apollo as uncomfortable as possible. He didn't pull away from Edgeworth, not that he could have with how tightly Miles had wound his fists in Phoenix's jacket. Besides, he was afraid Miles really would fall if Phoenix removed the support on his back from his hand. Edgeworth, surprisingly, appeared unabashed at being discovered like this.

"Are you all right?" Miles asked. It was a good question. Apollo was starting to look a little purple.

"I'm fine!" Apollo shouted and backed out of the room, slamming it shut behind him.

Outside, Phoenix and Miles could hear another person.

"Hey, pal, you don't look so good..."

"I said I'm fine!"

"If you say so..."

"No! Don't go in there!"

Assured that Apollo would cover for them, Phoenix turned away from the door and looked down at Miles. When Apollo had closed the door they were left in the dark again. He had to squint a little to see Miles clearly while his eyes readjusted.

Miles was a mess. His lips were swollen and his clothes were completely rumpled. Yet somehow his cravat had managed to stay pristine and fluttery as ever. Miles stiffly released his grip on Phoenix's jacket, which let them separate a little. Where he had been holding was completely wrinkled.

They must have been quite the sight for poor Apollo.

Phoenix started to laugh. Miles smirked up at him. Steadily, the two of them maneuvered until they were both upright again. Miles made a few lame attempts straighten Phoenix's jacket.

"You know, Wright," he said when Phoenix got control of his laughter. "I don't believe I'm occupied after this trial."

"You? Not busy? There's a first." But Phoenix was grinning, anyways. Miles was finally acting comfortable around him.

"Don't be smart, Wright." Yep. Same old Edgeworth. Miles gave up on Phoenix's jacket and instead reached up to fix his tie. "As I was saying, my schedule is free this afternoon."

"Yeah?" Phoenix asked. "Do you want to... get lunch or something?"

Apollo would be fine on his own.

... Probably.

Miles rolled his eyes. "I thought you would never ask.

Miles continued to nitpick Phoenix's appearance. Phoenix stood still and let him fuss, though he was pretty sure it was a hopeless cause. Standing there, Phoenix realized there was something they still hadn't said. Aloud, anyways.

"Hey, Miles?"

"Yes?" Miles was now working on straightening out his own apparel. He wasn't looking.

"I love you."

Miles' fingers stopped in their busy-work. He looked back at Phoenix.

"You know, Wright, I'm still not very good with these kind of things... but I believe the proper response is 'I love you, too'."


End file.
